Dec. 7, 2012
|

by Andrea Mandell, USA TODAY

by Andrea Mandell, USA TODAY

When that sparkly ball drops, Hugh Hefner will be stripped of his legendary bachelor status.

The Playboy founder, 86, plans to wed girlfriend Crystal Harris, 26, at the stroke of midnight on Dec. 31.

Hefner's former flame Bridget Marquardt spilled the news to E! Online on Thursday. "Hef has a wedding in the works again," Marquardt told E! at a holiday party in Hollywood. "I just hope he's happy. I'm happy for him if he's happy."

"And New Year's Eve is a romantic time to get married," she continued, adding, "It's a romantic holiday. A good way to start off the new year."

Harris famously broke off their prior engagement in 2011 just days before the wedding and moved to Las Vegas. The couple reconciled in June 2012.

TMZ predicted the New Year's wedding date a week ago, and says the affair will be "an intimate gathering of just friends and family."